The Gleason Book Discussion Group will meet on Monday, December 13 to discuss The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. This mystery, as told through the eyes of an autistic boy, weaves together an old-fashioned mystery, a contemporary coming-of-age story, and a fascinating excursion into a mind incapable of processing emotions.

The book group meets every month in the Hollis room at the Gleason library from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. Refreshments are served and the group is open to everyone in the community.

Readings for the second half of the year will be selected in February.

Holiday Open House at Heald House

Everyone is invited to the Carlisle Historical Society's first Holiday Open House on Sunday, December 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. at its home, Heald House, 698 Concord Street (next door to "This Old House"). This is a unique opportunity to tour the historical collections, meet new and old friends, drink our cider and enjoy a cookie swap.

Just bring two dozen cookies and a container, and take home a delicious assortment to fill up your cookie jar for the holiday season. Do a little holiday shopping too, and get ready for Carlisle's Bicentennial in February. Ruth Chamberlin Wilkins's book, Carlisle: Its History and Heritage, and the Historical Society's brand-new ornament of the town seal will be available. The book and the ornament make great holiday gifts for Carlisle friends and neighbors.

Conservation Morning Coffee on December 14

The Tuesday, December 14, Conservation Coffee will be held in the Clark Room in the Carlisle Town Hall, 66 West Street, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Lynn Knight, a member of the Land Stewardship Planning Committee will present the preliminary set of objectives for Conservation Land Stewardship and invite public input.

Carlisle Conservation Coffees are regularly held on the second Tuesday of the month during the fall, winter and spring seasons. The coffees end promptly at 9 a.m. and attendees are encouraged to arrive and leave as their early morning schedules allow. Continental breakfast is provided. The next Conservation Coffee will be held on January 11 and February 8, 2005.

Toys for Tots

For the eighth consecutive year, Toys for Tots is underway in Carlisle. The nationwide program, operated by the United States Marine Corps, relies on local businesses Coldwell Banker Real Estate and Ferns Country Store to assist in the effort.

New toys of any type for all age levels may be dropped off at Ferns any time during regular store hours. Toys should not be wrapped but must be in their original packaging. The collection will continue through December 18.

CCHS presents Steel Magnolias

Concord-Carlisle High School presents Steel Magnolias, a drama set in a small-town Louisiana beauty parlor. This play, which has also been made into a popular movie, centers on a group of six Southern women who share the ups and downs of life with wit and tenderness. Steel Magnolias will be performed December 11, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m., and December 12 and 19 at 2:30 p.m., in the CCHS Little Theater. Tickets are $12 and will be available at the door or at ccpops.org.

Carlisle Police sponsor Christmas for Kids

The true spirit of the holidays has always been helping those less fortunate than ourselves. The staff at the Police Department is asking for Carlisle's help again this year. The greater Lowell area is in need of donated children's toys. Without this community's help, many of these children will likely do without on Christmas day.

Beginning December 1, officers and staff will be collecting toys at the police station. These toys will then be delivered to the Lowell office of the Department of Social Services in time for Old Saint Nick's arrival. Anyone interested in helping is asked to drop off a new, unwrapped toy at the police station no later than December 19.

Get your 2005 dump sticker now

Transfer station stickers for 2005 will be available at the police station December 1. You need $15 and car registration to get yours. They are a bright, trendy orange and you will be very conspicuous without one.

Citrus sale to benefit Carlisle Band

Carlisle Senior Band members are now taking orders for fresh fruit to benefit the band program. The package assortments include Indian River red grapefruit, Florida navel oranges, red delicious apples and D'Anjou pears, all offered at competitive prices and delivered to your door in time for President's Day. The fruit can also be shipped directly anywhere in the U.S.

Proceeds will support the purchase of instruments and equipment, bus transportation and a visiting musician program. Place orders at the Winter Concerts, with any senior band member, or by calling Melinda Howe at 1-978-318-9582. Band members will also be taking orders at the Carlisle Transfer Station on Saturday, December 11, and January 8. Support the school's excellent band program, treat friends and family and counter the winter doldrums with fresh fruit delivered to your doorstep.

Reserve your space in the Bicentennial Art Show

The Friends of The Gleason Public Library will sponsor a two-month-long Bicentennial exhibit entitled "The Essence of Carlisle"as part of their "Art at the Gleason" program. The Carlisle bicentennial year begins on February 18, 2005, and the show will take place in the months of March and April 2005. The show will highlight all Carlisle artists, young and old, and will enable the community to view the creativity of local town talent.

The Friends welcomes a variety of entries: an oil painting, a photograph, or a piece of sculpture. In addition to the creation, exhibitors must provide a personal biography and information about the entry: the title, the date created, the medium (oil, acrylic, charcoal, photography, or sculpture), and whether it is for sale and for how much. Ten percent of the proceeds will benefit the library. Entrants are also asked to include a description of why they love art and how they got started.

"We know you're out there," says Brooke Cragan, Gleason Library trustee. "Whether you've exhibited your work at an art gallery in Boston or simply kept your creativity behind closed doors we hope you'll share your talent with the entire town at this one-of-a-kind show." Cragan notes that the Friends plan to create a photo montage of this collection as a keepsake of our bicentennial celebration and keep it in the library for future generations to appreciate.

Call now to reserve a space. The Friends will take reservations up through Monday, January 20 and will be collecting entries at the library beginning Tuesday, February 15. Call Brooke Cragan, at 1-978-369-1196, or sign up at the library in person.

Girl Scouts collect winter coats, hats, mittens

Junior Girl Scout and Brownie troops will team up at the Carlisle Transfer Station on Saturday, December 11 to collect warm clothing for the needy.

The fifth-grade Junior Girl Scout troop will be collecting warm coats for shelters in Lowell and Boston. For more information call Darragh Murphy at 1-978-318-0319 or drop off items at the Murphy-Langrind home at 8 Bedford Road (on the rotary, between Fleet Bank and Gleason Library).

Carlisle second-grade Brownie troop 2653 will be collecting warm hats, mittens, gloves and scarves for the homeless. Contributions will be donated to shelters in Lowell and Boston. For more information, call Stephanie Randazzo at 1-978-369-8161 or drop off items at 296 Brook Street.

Ladies spring tennis

Carlisle women who are interested in trying out for any openings in the local spring league (April-June) should call Bobby Lyman at 1-978-369-6185, or e-mail her at bobbylyman@mindspring.com. Play is normally twice weekly. Those who prefer to play less often may substitute. Spring league is low key, with morning lessons and games; days depend on the skill level.

CCHS volleyball team works to raise funds

Need baby-sitting services or help with a home project? The Concord-Carlisle High School Girls Volleyball Team is enthusiastically offering their services to raise funds to support the team. If interested in hiring the volleyball team members to help with baby-sitting or any other project, call Bill or Nancy Risso at 1-978-369-8321.

Concord Band salutes America with its third CD

The Concord Band has released its third CD entitled The Concord Band Salutes America. The CD is a collection of 17 patriotic songs including marches such as "Stars and Stripes Forever" and "Washington Post," armed forces songs such as Semper Fidelis, and patriotic favorites such as "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful." The CD is available for purchase at local retailers in Concord and surrounding communities for $15, or contact The Concord Band at 1-978-897-9969.

The Concord Band, founded in 1959, is one of the leading community concert bands in the United States. It Is well known for its innovative programming and the exceptional quality of its commissioned pieces. It presents both formal and Pops concerts throughout the year. Its summer concerts at Fruitlands Museums in Harvard are attended by more than 10,000 people each year. The band's music director is Dr. William G. McManus. Visit our website at www.concordband.org.

Local residents save at The Old Manse

The Old Manse in Concord offers a special welcome for local residents to the second weekend of our living history tour, called "Winter through the Ages." On December

11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and December 12 from 12 to 4 p.m., the Junior Volunteers of Concord will offer guided tours of the house while in historic character. Residents of Concord, Carlisle, and Lincoln who show identification will enjoy a reduced admission ($6/adult, $3/child), a saving of $2 per visitor.

Each room is tied into a particular point in time, from 1780 through 1939, the years when the Emerson-Ripley-Hawthorne families occupied the house. The Old Manse is fully festooned with appropriate period décor, and visitors will experience sights, sounds, memories, and tastes of holidays past.

End the visit with a trip to The Old Manse's bookstore, where books and historical items and toys, including exclusive editions of Wee Forest Folk, make great holiday gifts. All items, with the exception of the Wee Forest Folk, are 20% off. Members of The Trustees of Reservations receive an additional 10% off.

Now a property of The Trustees of Reservations, The Old Manse is open for regular tours from mid-April through October. For more information, visit www.oldmanse.org.

Concord Madrigals present holiday concert

The Concord Madrigals will present "Dancing Day," a concert of carols and songs of the season. Conductor Jane Ring Frank has created a performance featuring Faure's Messe Basse, Giacomo Puccini's Te Deum, Niles' Cantata of Appalachian Christmas Carols, as well as works by Rutter, Shields and O'Regan. There will also be a traditional holiday carol sing with audience participation.

The concert, at 4 p.m. Sunday, December 19, will be held at a new location this year: Trinity Episcopal Church at 81 Elm Street in Concord. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, and are available at Brooks Pharmacy in Concord, or by calling 1-978-369-7718 or 1-978-369-3369. The Concord Madrigals is a women's chorus whose Carlisle members include Wendy Davis, Cynthia Nunan, Stephanie Smith, Cynthia Sorn, Priscilla Stevens and Penny Zezima.

Flu clinic at Emerson

Emerson Hospital will be conducting a flu clinic on Thursday, December 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Concord Elks, Baker Avenue, Concord. Pre-registration is required.

Individuals aged 65 years or older; individuals aged 18 to 64 years with one or more chronic medical conditions requiring frequent or ongoing medical management (a doctor's note will be required); pregnant women (a doctor's note will be required); all health-care workers aged 50 years and older who provide direct patient care and those 49 years of age and younger who provide direct patient care to severely immune-compromised patients in protected environments (a doctor's note will be required).

The cost of each vaccination will be $20. People 65 years of age or older will receive the flu vaccine free. Call Jan Quinty at 1-978-287-3085 to register.

Family Folk Chorale opens reading event

Concord will kick off its community reading event, "One Book, One Concord," with a concert featuring The Family Folk Chorale, a group with singers from ages 4 to 81, on Sunday, December 12. The concert, which begins at 5 p.m., will be held at the First Parish Church, 20 Lexington Road in Concord. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call Kristin Nelson at 1-978-287-4134.

Holiday Pops tradition continues

Celebrate the season at the Concord Band's annual Holiday Pops concerts to be held at 51 Walden Street in Concord on Friday, December 10, and Saturday, December 11, at 8 p.m. The cabaret-style concerts feature traditional holiday music. Guest vocalist Michelle French will perform several pieces with the Concord Band and will lead the audience holiday sing-along. The Concord Band Holiday Pops is a tradition here and sells out early. Table seating is available at $15 per person, $60 for a table of four, which includes beverages and snacks.

For reservations, call 1-978-897-9969. Reservations can also be made through the Concord Band Web site www.concordband.org.

An evening with John Updike at Fenn School

Renowned author John Updike, recipient of many awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes, will speak at Fenn School on Tuesday, December 14, at 7:30 p.m. As part of the Distinguished Speaker Series marking the 75th anniversary of Fenn School, Updike will speak on "Pedagogy: Readings of Selected Poems and Fiction."

To reserve complimentary seating or for additional information, contact Susan Richardson at 1-978-318-3526 or e-mail srichardson@fenn.org. Fenn School is located at 516 Monument Street in Concord.

Winter carnival will support Darfur Project

The students of Ms. Samantha Fox's international issues class were asked a few weeks ago to choose a global issue they would like to support and raise money for. All three classes unanimously decided to send funds to Darfur, Sudan. The classes' goals are to educate both the school systems and communities of Concord and Carlisle, and to raise money to donate to Oxfam. The students have organized their own bake sales and donations in school, as well as a winter carnival in December at the high school.

The students first did research about the crisis, learning about the history of the conflict as well as the current problems within the country. Although the problem has not been frequently mentioned in the news until this fall, the issue as been going on since winter of 2003. Supported by the Arab-dominated government of Sudan, the local militia group named the Janjaweed has been attacking the black African farmers in the Darfur region of Sudan. About 1.8 million refugees have been moved to concentration camps in Darfur and Chad. Every month 10,000 refugees die due to the violence and poor conditions of the camps. The students' have chosen the international organization Oxfam to distribute money to provide safe living conditions for the people in the camps. Oxfam is providing safe drinking water, building latrines, providing hygiene kits, which include soap, clean clothing, a sleeping mat and a wash basin, and providing blankets and material for shelter. All of this helps prevent the spread of disease and make the camps more livable.

Please support the students' efforts to help alleviate the suffering of the victims of violence in Darfur by coming to the winter carnival at Concord-Carlisle High School, December 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The carnival will have games and crafts for the whole family to enjoy. They will be collecting donations and selling t-shirts made by the students. Take some time during this busy season to enjoy some family time and support a worthy cause at the same time.

Master Singers in concert December 18

The Master Singers will present a concert on Saturday, December 18, at 8 p.m. in the First Parish Church, 7 Harrington Road in Lexington. "Christmas: the Sounding Joy" will feature the Triton Brass Quintet as special guests. Tickets are $16, $14 for seniors and students. For reservations, call 1-781-862-6459.

Town seal ornaments for the holidays

This holiday season start a Carlisle tradition with a unique gift — an ornament of the town seal, custom-etched with a 24-karat gold finish, to commemorate the town's upcoming 200th anniversary in 2005. Proceeds will benefit the Carlisle Historical Society and the $15 price includes a $3 donation to the Bicentennial Committee. Ornaments are available at Ferns and Carlisle Antiques (549 Bedford Road). Also, Stephanie Upton of the Historical Society will take phone orders at 1-978-369-5409 for ornaments that can be picked up at her house.

Council on Aging sponsors events and services

The Carlisle Council on Aging (COA) sponsors a variety of events and offers the town's senior citizens many services, including:

• Holiday concert. Join the COA for a concert of festive music performed by Carlisle Public School students in the Sleeper Room at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 22. The concert will include a variety of choral and instrumental works. Refreshments will be served after the concert.

• Choice Meal Day. Come join the Carlisle seniors and Minuteman Senior Services eating together at the First Church of Christ, 25 Great Road in Bedford, for a "Choice Meal Day" holiday special. Food will be catered by Gourmet Indiaon December 17, at 11 a.m. There will be a choice of traditional or Indian food. For informationand sign-up call Joanne Willens at 1-978-371-8023 or e-mail her at joannewillens@comcast.net by December 13.

• Chess Club. The COA Chess Club meets weekly on Tuesdays in the Sleeper Room at 145 Church Street from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Call 1-978-371-2895 with any questions.

• Meals on Wheels. Just returning home after surgery? Living alone and just find it too difficult to cook? Meals on Wheels might be the answer. Senior citizens can receive hot meals twice a week, and frozen meals are available as well. A nominal fee is requested. Meals are delivered to homes in Carlisle on Tuesday and Thursday mornings by friendly volunteers. Anyone interested in additional information, call the COA office at 1-978-371-2895. This service is provided by Minuteman Senior Services.

• Large-print books. Over the past several years the COA has donated funds to the Gleason Library for large-print books, and there are lots of new titles available. Any senior citizen who has trouble getting to the library should call the COA office, which will be happy to help with checking books out of the library.

• Take a free ride. Tired of the traffic and trying to find a parking spot? Then join the COA on its Friday shopping trips. Door-to-door pickup is provided by the COA van. The trips alternate weekly between the Stop and Shop in Bedford and Marketbasket in Westford. Coolers are available on the van to keep perishable items cold. For more information, call the COA office at 1-978-371-2895.

Learn-To-Skate Registration - Session 2

The second session of the Learn-To-Skate (LTS) program sponsored by Concord-Carlisle Youth Hockey (CCYH) will begin Saturday, January 8, 2005, at 11:20 a.m. at the Valley Sports Arena on Route 62 in West Concord. Skaters must be five years of age by January 1, 2005. On-ice volunteers are welcome. More information can be obtained by calling the registrar of CCYH at 1-978-369-6759 or the president of CCYH at 1-978-897-7680 or LTS director of CCYH at 1-978-369-4664. Visit our web site (www.ccyh.org) for up-to-date information on all CCYH activities.

Ski/SB Nashoba

Now is the time to sign up for the Recreation Commission's Ski and Snowboard Program at Nashoba Valley. The program will be held Fridays, starting January 7 for grades 2-4 and grades 5-8. Space is limited — register early. Chaperones are needed, and a discount is available. For information, call the Recreation office at 1-978-369-9815.

Holiday lights

It is time to enter the Holiday Light Competition sponsored and judged by Carlisle Girl Scout Troop 2648B. The entry deadline is December 20. Decorate your house with lots of lights or just a few...traditional, wacky or just plain fun. All proceeds will benefit the troop. Awards for all who enter. To sign up, send $5 to Girl Scout Holiday Light Competition, 67 Heald Road, Carlisle, or sign up at the community bulletin board at Ferns Country Store. For more information, call 1-978-371-1270.